In the world of motor vehicle owners, bikers occupy a very special place: because of the bad-boy persona that many bikers cultivate, because of the level of passion and obsession which they pour into their bikes, and because of the simple fact that it rocks to have a good looking bike that runs even better! Though motorcycles are significantly smaller than cars, thats not necessarily to say that caring for a motorcycle is much easier or more straightforward; bikes have their very own complexities and pack a whole lot of parts and technology into a very reduced space, making it even more difficult for the owner to find their way around in many cases. In any case, its just as important to take good care of a bike as any other vehicle, and as with all motor vehicles the oil filter and quality of oil being used in the engine are incredibly important aspects which require more than due diligence.
Motorcycle oil filters may in some cases be the exact same as those used in cars, and in other cases they may be specifically engineered for motorcycles. For starters, let it be clear that you should always rely on the suggestion of your bikes manufacturer regarding which kind of oil filter to use; though bike owners with a more advanced level of understanding as to mechanics may opt for another variety, in general the best motorcycle oil filters to use are always those suggested by the manufacturer. Sometimes, however, it is simply not possible to get ones hands on such a filter because, for example, the bike is so vintage that the specified filter is not even in production any longer. In these cases, it becomes necessary to find a suitable replacement, which is when it becomes necessary to use cross-reference tables specifically drafted for motorcycle oil filters.
For bike owners that really want to get the best out of their ride, its important to use the best of the best for both the engine oil as well as the filter itself. Quality engine oilsthese days, purely synthetic oils are generally regarded as the bestwill flow better in extreme temperatures, whether high or low, and will lubricate more efficiently; quality motorcycle oil filters will keep the oil flowing at optimum levels while trapping and retaining the impurities in the oil with the greatest efficiency. To be specific, todays more advanced filters (made with fiberglass or other synthetic fibers in addition to paper/cellulose fibers) can capture the majority of particles down below the 10 micron level.
When it comes time to changing motorcycle oil filters, the task can be a little trickier than with replacing the filter on a car, as the position of the filter on most bikes is a little difficult to access. And in addition to difficult, the task can also be quite a bit messy as your oil filter will likely drain on parts of your bike instead of on the ground; try using aluminum sheets which you can mold to your bike to prevent the oil from dripping everywhere and to guide it to where you want (most likely a sheet-pan of some sort on the ground beneath the bike).
